Direct mail isn’t one-size-fits-all.

For some local businesses, reaching nearly every household in a specific neighborhood makes sense. For others, the better opportunity may be reaching a smaller, more defined audience based on who they are, where they live, or other targeting criteria.

That’s where understanding the difference between Every Door Direct Mail (EDDM) and Targeted Postcards becomes important.

Both can help local businesses reach customers directly in their mailboxes, but they serve different purposes. Choosing the right approach starts with understanding your audience and what you want your campaign to accomplish.

What Is EDDM?

Every Door Direct Mail, commonly known as EDDM, allows businesses to reach households within selected postal routes without creating an individual mailing list.

Instead of choosing specific recipients, you’re selecting a geographic area and delivering your mail piece broadly throughout that area.

For businesses that serve a wide range of households within a defined service area, this can be an effective way to build local visibility.

Think of businesses such as restaurants, home service providers, retailers, or other businesses where a large percentage of households within a neighborhood could potentially become customers.

The primary advantage is reach.

If your goal is to introduce your business to a neighborhood, promote a new location, announce a seasonal offer, or simply increase awareness within a particular area, EDDM can put your message in front of a broad local audience.

What Are Targeted Postcards?

Targeted Postcards take a different approach.

Instead of asking, “Which neighborhoods should receive this?” you’re asking, “Who specifically do we want to reach?”

A targeted postcard campaign focuses your direct mail on a more defined audience rather than mailing broadly to every household along a selected route.

Depending on the campaign, targeting can help businesses focus their marketing efforts on consumers who are particularly relevant to their goals.

New movers are a good example.

A business doesn’t necessarily need to reach every household in a ZIP code. It may specifically want to reach people who recently moved into the community and are beginning to establish new routines and relationships with local businesses.

The result is a more focused approach to direct mail—one designed around reaching the right audience with the right message.

EDDM vs. Targeted Postcards: What’s the Difference?

The biggest difference comes down to broad reach versus targeted relevance.

EDDM is designed to provide broad geographic coverage. Targeted Postcards focus on a more specific audience.

Neither approach is automatically better.

If you’re opening a new restaurant and want nearby households to know you’re there, broad geographic coverage could make sense.

If you’re promoting a service to a specific type of customer, a targeted postcard campaign may be more aligned with your customer acquisition goals.

Before choosing an approach, consider a few questions:

• Who is your ideal customer? Is almost anyone in the neighborhood a potential customer, or are you trying to reach a more specific audience?
• What is your campaign goal? Are you building awareness, promoting an offer, or generating new customers?
• How broad should your reach be? Is exposure throughout an entire area valuable, or would you rather focus your campaign on selected prospects?
• Does timing matter? Would your message be more relevant because of a particular season, need, or stage in the customer’s life?

The answers can help determine which type of campaign makes the most sense.

When EDDM Makes Sense

EDDM can be particularly useful when geography is the most important targeting factor.

For example, a restaurant may want to reach households within a certain radius of its location. A home service company may want greater awareness throughout its service area. A new business may simply want nearby residents to know it has opened.

In situations like these, reaching broadly within selected neighborhoods can support awareness and visibility.

A strong EDDM campaign should still have a clear message, compelling offer, recognizable branding, and an obvious next step. Reaching more households doesn’t replace the need to give recipients a reason to pay attention.

When Targeted Postcards Make Sense

Targeted Postcards can be particularly valuable when who receives your message matters just as much as where they live.

Rather than mailing broadly, businesses can focus their campaigns on an audience that better matches the customers they’re trying to acquire.

That added relevance can also help shape the creative, message, and offer.

For example, marketing to a new mover allows a business to acknowledge that the recipient is new to the community and provide an offer designed to encourage a first visit. Other campaigns may focus on different audiences or customer characteristics.

The more relevant the audience and message are to each other, the more meaningful that introduction can become.

You Don’t Always Have to Choose One or the Other

EDDM and Targeted Postcards can serve different roles within the same overall marketing strategy.

A business might use EDDM to build awareness throughout its service area while using Targeted Postcards for campaigns designed to reach a more defined audience.

The important question isn’t simply:

“Which type of direct mail is better?”

It’s:

“Who are you trying to reach, and what do you want them to do next?”

Starting with those questions makes it easier to choose the audience, message, offer, and mailing strategy that support your goals.

Find the Right Direct Mail Strategy for Your Business

Our Town America helps local businesses connect with consumers through direct mail solutions designed around different marketing objectives.

For businesses looking for broad local reach, Every Door Direct Mail can help put your message in front of households throughout selected areas.

For businesses looking for a more focused approach, Targeted Postcards can help deliver your message to a more defined audience.

And for businesses specifically looking to reach new residents, the Our Town America New Mover Program provides an opportunity to introduce your brand while new movers are establishing new routines and choosing local businesses.

The right strategy depends on your audience and your goals.

Ready to reach more customers in your local market?

Explore Our Town America’s direct mail solutions and find the right approach for your business.